Setting the Record Straight
- Wolfgang pleads with fans to stop spreading false rumors that he will join Van Halen after his dad, Eddie Van Halen, recently passed from throat cancer.
- The main causes of throat cancer include smoking, drinking, and the human papillomavirus (HPV).
- HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, and experts recommend both boys and girls get the vaccine to prevent cancer diagnoses.
Wolfgang has spoken out in response to rumors that he plans to join Van Halen after his dad, Eddie Van Halen, recently passed away from throat cancer at 65-years-old. According to Wolfgang’s response, the rumors have been hard on his family as they’ve tried to navigate life without the patriarch of their family. He’s begging fans and the public to stop spreading these false reports, as he says they not only hurt him and his family but also Van Halen fans.
Read MoreThis is just a shitty lie attempting to capitalize on these awful times. Please stop with this.
Anyone peddling this shit is not only hurting the fans, but hurting me and my family. https://t.co/YqJKBaqpjy— Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) October 25, 2020
Wolfgang was the first one to announce Van Halen’s passing, in which he penned a touching caption in tribute to his father. Over recent weeks, he’s shared heartwarming videos and photos of his dad to honor his memory.
Van Halen privately battled throat cancer for around five years after being diagnosed in 2014. He kept his treatment process relatively out of the public eye, but there’s been claims that he traveled to Germany for radiation treatments over the years. Upon news of his passing, TMZ reported that the rock star had been in and out of the hospital for intestinal issues and recently underwent chemotherapy.
Throat Cancer Risk Factors
Although Van Halen has stated he believes his throat cancer was caused by putting metal guitar picks in his mouth, there’s no scientific evidence proving metal causes cancer. Instead, throat cancer diagnoses are often caused by excessive drinking and smoking. Van Halen admitted himself that he’s been a life-long chain smoker, starting the habit when he was just 12-years-old.
Another large number of throat cancer diagnoses can be caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. According to Dr. Ted Teknos, Scientific Director of UH Seidman Cancer Center, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers have gone up exponentially since the mid-90’s.
“If you look at the percentage of patients who developed throat cancer, cancer of the tonsils, and the base of the tongue in the 80s compared to the 2010s, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has gone up by 300%,” Dr. Teknos tells SurvivorNet. “So there is no myth. HPV causes throat cancer, and it’s a sexually transmitted disease.”
Dr. Ted Teknos explains how HPV is linked to throat cancer diagnoses
Losing a Loved One From Cancer
After a devastating loss, mourning is a common step in processing grief. However, for families in the public eye who have lost a loved one, it might be difficult to have some privacy. However, there are ways to cope with losing a close friend or family member that doesn’t need to be subjected to tabloid scrutiny.
Camila Legaspi lost her mother, Gabriela, to breast cancer when she was just in high school. Even though news of her mom’s passing spread throughout the school, Camila decided to take control of her emotions and find an outlet that she could control on her own terms therapy.
Related: Sadness Is Not Always A Bad Thing Coping After Losing A Parent To Cancer
“Embrace the situation as best as you can, because the reality is, is that it sucks,” Camila tells SurvivorNet. “Therapy saved my life. I was dealing with some really intense anxiety and depression at that point. It just changed my life, because I was so drained by all the negativity that was going on. Going to a therapist helped me realize that there was still so much out there for me, that I still had my family, that I still had my siblings.”
By visiting her therapist, Camila could talk about everything she was feeling and be accepted. Whether it was the loss of her mother, her fellow classmates talking about it, or considering how to move forward, therapy can be a coping mechanism that is all your own.
Camila Legaspi, who lost her mother to breast cancer, says therapy saved her life
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